Razor blade sharpener



March 7, 1933. J. D. BUTLER RAZOR BLADE SHARPENER Filed April 4, 1930 WITNESS j,

INVENTOR 227? QB 7107',

ATTORNEY Patented Mar. 7, 1933 UNITED STATES Jomv iinu'rma, or WASHINGTON, ms'rarcr or COLUMBIA men BLADE sHAarENEa Application filed April 4,

This invention relates to improvements in Sharpeners, especially ofthe type adapted for sharpening safety razor'blades, and it consists of the constructions, combinations and arrangements herein described and claimed. g 3

An object of the invention is to provide a sharpener by means of which the blade can be preliminarily cleaned by means of a roll having a felt or similarcoating impregnated with finely powdered charcoal, then sharpened by application to a second roll which is covered with a very fine grade of silk.

Another object of the invention is to provide duplicate sets of foregoing rolls which are respectively adapted for operation in different positions of the blade.

A further object of the invention is to associate a presser plate with one of the sets'of rolls so that finger pressure need not be relied upon to hold the blade in sharpening contact with either roll.

A still further object of the invention is to mount the sets of rolls upon the walls of a box or similar receptacle, an advantage of the box being to catchithe abrasive material sloughing off of oneof the rolls so that the possibility of soiling a clean table cover upon which the sharpener may be stood is avoided.

IOther'objects and advantages will appear in the'following specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawing in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of the improved razor blade sharpener. I

Figure 2 is a central longitudinal section thereof, the charcoal shaker being shown in elevation. 1 r I Figure 3 is a detail side elevation of the sharpener particularly illustrating the presser plate and the setof rolls with which'it coacts. r

' Figure 4 is a detail cross section taken on the line 44 of Figure 3 particularly show- 45 ing the hinged mount of the presser plate.

A particular purpose of. the device is to recondition and sharpen safety razor blades. In the majority of instances persons using safety razors will use a blade until it becomes dull and then throw it away. Sharpening devices for. such blades are obtainable same shaft are of different sizes.

1930. Serial No. 441,573.

but not many have come into practical use with the resultthat many thousands of blades are thrown away and the persons discarding them are kept under a continual expense by buying new ones.

The instant device provides not only a very eflective sharpener for'the purpose but also one which is so attractive in its appearance that many persons seeing it will be induced to acquire it. It comprises a box 1 upon the opposite side walls 2, 3 of which the shafts 4, 5 of sets of rolls 6, 7, and 8,9 are journaled.

The arrangement of the rolls in sets occurs in the longitudinal direction ,of the box-1. The set 6, 7 is situated within the box while the set 8, 9 is situated on the outside as plainly shown in Figure 1. The rolls of the first set are larger than those of the second but coacting rolls, that is to say those on the A covering 10 of felt or the like on the rolls 6, 8 is intended to hold a covering of finely powdered charcoal which is applied by a shaker 11 that is conveniently located in one end of the box 1 and held from freely moving about by a recessed retainer plate 12 (Fig. 2). The surface characteristic of the felt covering is such that much of the powdered charcoal will be retained, and the material will even become impregnated with the charcoal to a certain extent as the user continues to apply a razorblade 13 in the manner suggested in Figure 2.

Since the roll 6 is the largest of the pair 6, 8, it followsthat thesloughing ofii'of the charcoal during the use of the sharpener may become more noticeable. The box 1, in addition to affording the support for the rolls, then acts as a container for the charcoal thus loosened. The abrasive will collect in a pile 90 14 (Fig.2) whence it maybe conveniently removed for replacement in the shaker 11 if desired.

a A coverin g 15 of a high grade of silk, satin or the like is applied to the pair 7, 9 of the rolls. After the razor blade 13 has been preliminarily cleaned in the manner suggested in Figure 2 it is moved over into contact with the roll 7 where the sharpening operation is completed. Silk has been found to produce an extremely sharp edge but. it is a requisite of the sharpener that the silk must be of a good quality otherwise the desirable good effect will not be had.

Simultaneous turning of the rolls occurs by operation of a crank 16 which is affixed to one 0f theshafts. These shaftscarry pulleys 17,

(Fig. 23') at appropriate places, to which a belt 18 is applied; Turning of the crank 16 causes turning of all of the rolls.

Goacting with theouter and smaller set of rolls 8, 9 is a presser plate19 which is hinged to the wall 8 at20 (Fig. 4). The hinges will be made so that there will be a slight space at 21 between the leaves" (Fig. 1) This space provides for a very slight up and down motion of .the presser plate under the influence of springs 22 and the insertion of a razor blade 23 in the manner suggested in Figure 1.

Vertically 'alined pairsof studs 24,525, respectively carried by the presser plate 19 and by a rigid .shelf 26 protruding from the side wall 3 ofthe box retain and guide the springs.

The shelf is situated in the plane of the bottom ofthe box and extends thearea of the bearing of the box so that the sharpener is further stabilized in' use. The springs, androlls 6, 8 with finely powdered charcoal or some other light abrasive from theshaker 11. After the charcoal has been worked into the fabric very little of it will loosen in the I operation of the sharpener. I

' This is especially true in the instance 0 the outer roll 8 by virtue of the manner in V which the razor blade 23 (Fig. 1). is pre:

. Consider first the sented, But the sloughing ofi of the charcoal will be more noticeable in respect to the inner roll 8, first by virtue of its larger size, second by virtue ofthe way in which the blade 13 2') is presented. vAs already stated, the charcoal thus dropped ofi will collect in a pile 14 (Fig. 2)'inside ofthe box 1 whence it can be removed for reuse in the shaker 11 if desired. 7 1 I r V broad side sharpening of the blade'13 (Fig. 2) the userwill grasp the blade between the thumb andforefinger of one hand and apply the side'of the blade .at the edge to. the roll 6. The crank 16 is turned in a direction to cause the'rolls to rotate as indicated by thearrows in Figure 2.

r The near end 27 of the boX 1 now becomes invaluable as a finger rest. The thumb will be rested upon the edge of the end 27 with the result that the blade 13; can be held'in an absolutely correct and steadyposition.

Having completed the" preliminary clean- .ingof the blade on both sides the blade is will now rest his wrist on the end 27 in such a manner as to'completely avoid the surface of the roll 6.

Sometimes it' becomes necessary to carry out a sharpening action lengthwise of the blade as in the instance of .23 (Fig.1). The F blade is again held between thethumb and forefinger of the hand and applied in the ianner designated. As the rolls are turned the bladeis gradually guided along the press er plate'19, which by virtue of the function I c The provision of the pairs of 6 8 and,

7, 9 is not a mere duplication of similarjrolls becauseeach of. these will play apart in the sharpening operation. It may be found that .in sharpening the blade broad side as in Figure 2 there may notbe' that even setting of the microscopicsaw teeth which will produce asmooth and painless shave. By running the blade beneath the outerrolls 8, -9 in a direction opposite to that-in which it was appliedto the rolls .6, 7 therecwill bee better alinementof the so-called;saw teeth with the accomplishment of the effect already brought out. i

' "This mode of use of the sharpener is not necessarily adhered to because the operator 'of its springs 22 keeps the blade pressed might turn thedevice aroundand work from i the end opposite to 27. The crank 16would then be turned'with therighthand while the wrist of the left hand wouldbe rested on-the right end of thebox (Fig. 2,) while arching '1:-

the hand over the roll 7 for contact of the blade with the roll 6. Itis also possible to v of the presserplate 19while' keeping the boX 13in position sothatthe right end is ingfront of the operator. [It is optional whether'the' device shall be used one way .or the other,

it being readily adaptable to either right or manipulate theblade 2 3 (Fig.1) lengthwise modifications and changes maybe made with- V out departing from thespirit of the invention or the scope ofthe claims. I r

I claim 5 1 A razor blade sharpener comprisinga box having a rigid shelf extending from one of the sidewalls in the plane of-the bottom thus'toiextend'the bearing surface of the box, a pair of shafts journaled on the side walls of the box,each having'apair of dissimilarly sized rolls arranged in sets respec tively inside and outside of the box, means pair but constituting dissimilar surfacings as to the sets of rolls, means by which one of the shafts is turned and means by which both shafts are turned in unison, a presser plate hinged to one of the side walls in a position above the rigid shelf for limited movement respecting an adjoining set of rolls, and resilient means situated between the .shelf and presser plate to urge the latter against said set of rolls.

2. A razor blade sharpener comprising an abrasive roll which is revoluble on a fixed axis, a presser plate between which and the roll a blade is insertible, hinge means along one side of said plate enabling the opposite c and free side to swing toward and away from the roll, supporting means for the roll and hinge means, and resilient means expansive between part of the supporting means and the free side of said presser plate tending to keep said plate in substantial parallelism with the axis of the roll.

3. A razor blade sharpener comprising a box having a shelf extending from one of the side walls in the plane of the bottom thus to extend the bearing surface of the box, a pair of shafts journaled on the side walls of the box, each having a pair of dissimilarly sized rolls arranged in sets respectively inside and outside of the box, a surfacing of felt on one pair of the rolls to be impregnated with charcoal for preliminarily cleaning the blade, a surfacing of silk on the other pair of rolls for subsequently sharpening the blade, means by which both of the shafts are turned in unison, a presser plate hinged to one of the side walls in a position above the shelf for limited movement respecting an adjoining set of rolls, and resilient means situated between the shelf and presser plate to urge the latter against said set of rolls.

JOHN D. BUTLER. 

